SNSD party leader Milorad Dodik harshly criticized the Office of the High Representative (OHR) report submitted to the United Nations Security Council, calling it biased and aimed at Republika Srpska. He repeated that Republika Srpska authorities oppose introducing sanctions against Russia, adding that the OHR should be abolished.
Dodik believes that the report contains groundless accusations and takes on the stance of the European Parliament on Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to his assessment, this further confirms that the OHR should not continue operating.
He also criticized the way in which the document presented the Russian influence, claiming that political issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina are incorrectly attributed to Moscow’s alleged actions.
“This report sticks to an impossibly stupid approach based solely on blaming everything on some Russian influence. That influence does not exist. Republika Srpska is committed to cooperation with Russia,” Dodik said, adding that such a policy is a permanent commitment of the authorities of Republika Srpska.
He accused European officers of observing political relations through, as he said, irrational fear of Russia. He also assessed that the OHR caused great damage to Bosnia and Herzegovina with its actions, and that it further worsened its position with the latest report.
“Stupid bureaucrats from Europe think they can explain everything with fear of Russia, which is absolutely irrational. The OHR has done a lot of harm in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and now it has shot itself in the foot because the report is irritating both Russia and America, and all other countries that want to objectively observe relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Dodik said.
He recalled that the leadership of Republika Srpska did not hide its opposition to the sanctions against Russia, emphasizing that Republika Srpska wants to maintain good relations with Moscow.
According to him, requests from Brussels to align the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina with European policy towards Russia did not change that attitude.
“Just because someone in Brussels decided that it should be different and demanded that their policies be followed is another matter. We have made it clear that we will not do so,” Dodik said.
Criticism of BiH’s Foreign Policy
Dodik assessed that, for a more objective portrayal of the political situation, the OHR report should have also included changes in the American approach to Bosnia and Herzegovina. He referred to the stance that the United States of America doesn’t want to build other states, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, claiming that such a policy changes circumstances within the country.
At the same time, he criticized the way in which the foreign policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina is being led, arguing that certain political representatives act without the joint positions of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He particularly called out the Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković and the member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Bećirović, accusing them of expressing views during international activities, which, according to him, do not represent a coordinated state policy.
Dodik also claimed that abroad they spread lies about Serbs and exclusively represent Bosniak political positions.
In the end, he criticized the OHR because, according to him, the report fails to mention the imposition of the decision regulating proceedings in court cases. He did not specify which decision he refers to.
He assessed that, besides Bosnia and Herzegovina, the report humiliated the UN Security Council, and expressed his expectation that the members of that body will recognize, as he stated, the shortcomings of the document.
“I hope that the people in the Security Council will see this clearly,” Dodik concluded.
